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TexasTowelie

(116,501 posts)
Mon Oct 8, 2018, 08:35 PM Oct 2018

Cheaper Farm Bureau health policies could turn applicants away for pre-existing issues

Applicants for the Iowa Farm Bureau's new health coverage will be asked whether they've been diagnosed or treated for a range of ailments, including diabetes, heart problems, or mental issues, new documents show.

The company could turn away or charge more to some applicants with pre-existing health problems, company officials acknowledged Wednesday.

The Farm Bureau unveiled details of the new health coverage Wednesday. The policies, which will go on sale Nov. 1, are expected to have lower premiums than standard health insurance policies.

The controversial new plans offer an alternative to health insurance policies, which must comply with the federal Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare.

Read more: https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/health/2018/10/03/iowa-farm-bureau-health-coverage-pre-existing-conditions-obamacare-affordable-care-act/1509879002/

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Cheaper Farm Bureau health policies could turn applicants away for pre-existing issues (Original Post) TexasTowelie Oct 2018 OP
Hoping the real farmers (as opposed to the corporate farmers) democratisphere Oct 2018 #1
of course the concept is that those with no health problems will leave the exchange rurallib Oct 2018 #2

rurallib

(63,156 posts)
2. of course the concept is that those with no health problems will leave the exchange
Tue Oct 9, 2018, 02:31 PM
Oct 2018

which will then leave those who have serious health issues as the ones in the exchange, thus driving up the cost of insurance.
My rudimentary understanding of how insurance is priced is an estimate of the payout divided by an estimate of the number of insured.
For example $1,000,000 expectant payout divided by 1,000 participants = $1,000/participant.

if all the expected payout is pushed into one group and the group expecting low payouts is pushed into the other group, the group of expected higher payouts will be paying massive rates while the other group would be paying minimal rates.

Iowa and I believe Indiana are the test cases for these non-insurance insurance plans. They can't be called insurance so in Iowa we call them health benefits.

With Kavanaugh now on SCOTUS expect any legal action on these plans to get a ticket to the SCOTUS in order to put a huge bite into the ACA.

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